New to this site....and to the world of braces

[Gravecat]

Hello everyone.

I'm new to this site and just got my braces on almost a week ago.

I am glad to read Chaotic Choppers' story, as well as everyone else's that posted for him as well as the many other stories and advice here.

I am so glad there is a site like this because I feel a tad lonely in this very new journey for me. I don't want to exhause my fiance's ear and patience (even though he is a dear and so kind!) about the constant and relentless pain I'm having along with the daily, overwhelming headaches.

It is so wonderful to come here and see if this is "normal". I think it is....still not sure.

Perhaps it was the excruciating mouth pain and headaches I was "enjoying" again for another day, maybe the pain wearing down my resolve, but I was starting to have serious second thoughts about getting my braces on.

Like Chaotic Choppers, my parents could not afford to put me in braces when I was young and now, in my forties, I FINALLY got them. I was so excited to finally start this journey....so excited to finally fix my overbite and crowded teeth and arch that is so narrow it looks like a "V". I knew discomfort would be involved, but had no idea how much discomfort and how every day I would be in such pain.

Last year I saw an orthodontist about braces but he was really strange and cryptic. My first consult with him, all he did was look at me and say, "If I were you, I would not get braces. You will have more problems if you do." He said all that from just looking at me! Not doing any x-rays or anything, just looking at me!

I thought it was really odd and then he goes on to say to me, "If you were my sister, I would tell you to just forget it." When I asked him why he was so against it, he just cryptically told me, "It's because I feel you will have problems."

I saw him on my lunch-hour from work and was completely dissatisfied with his weird answer and consult - which turned out to be neither.

Then I moved out of state and saw a new dentist who recommended me to a top ortho practice. After all of the impressions and X-rays, the doctor saw what I saw and agreed braces would help me.

I had a reasonable amount of faith in his professionalism and the reputation of his practice. But - and here is my point - with all of the pain I am having, the dark and cryptic words of that prior ortho I saw last year are coming back to haunt me. Was he right? But why was he right? He never fully explained why he said what he said?

That 's when I found this site. I'm looking for answers, advice and "company" on the start of this lonely journey. Let's face it, I'm sure we all have people who love us in our private lives, but sometimes the special journey you find yourself on can be a lonely one, especially if there is physical pain involved.

Like I said before, I don't want to exhaust my fiance with my constant moaning. He has been a dear and I have a looooong way to go with all of this yet (18 months). Besides, my fiance is the one who paid for this. He did it without complaint and said if I need this, to just get it. How can I complain to him when he was so sweet to shell out $6,500.00 for this when I couldn't afford it one iota?

I can't and that is why I am here. I want to turn to this site and all of you wonderful people for support, help and advice. I would like to extend my comfort and sympathy, too, to whoever may need it even though I am so new to all of this.

I am so happy to come here and read all of your journeys and how you are coping, your humor and advice.

[catj1981]

Welcome Gravecat!!

I too am new to this. I too turned to this site for help, comfort, and advice. I've been braced for 2 weeks. (Since Oct 30) I have crowding (upper and lower), overbite, overjet, and a crossbite. Lots of stuff to fix. My sentence is 26 months. A very long time!

As far as pain goes, mine FINALLY subsided about 10 or 11 days after being braced. Ibuprofen, Tylenol, really cold ice water, ice cream and very, very soft foods are what got me through everything. Oh...and wax! Man, I love that stuff! Hahaha Eating can still be challenging, but I have bite guards on a couple of uppers so I can't bite down all the way. It's a little awkward.

I'm sure within the next few days you'll be fine and the braces will be mod second nature. I've gotten to the point that I'm constantly looking in the mirror and checking my before pics to see if I can notice any changes! I know it's soon, but I really can see some differences already.

Good luck to you! I look forward to following your journey.

[klobird]

Congratulations to both of you!!

Braces will become your new normal, and it really is not that bad at all....especially when you start to see the visible changes, and that happens pretty quickly! (It's all the bite stuff, and stuff I don't really care about that takes soooo long...)

The time goes by faster than I thought, and right now I know for sure this is the best decision I have ever made!! (Well,ok, maybe that's an exaggeration--but it's right up there!)

You will be eating everything in no time and even cheating (I bet) from time to time!!

[Dee17]

Welcome to both of you and congratulations on starting your new journey. I have had my braces for just about 3 weeks now and most of the initial pain is gone. Now it's just what I call "generalized discomfort". I'm still pretty unhappy about having to have braces but I am VERY grateful that I found this site. You will find an amazing community of incredibly supportive and encouraging people here. In fact, it was after signing up and reading many different postings that I decided to go ahead with my treatment.
I agree that you might feel guilty about the so-called "whining" to your fiance about your pain. That's what the people on this forum are for. Believe me, I did WAY more than my share of whining and moaning before I actually got my braces put on. I am so grateful that nobody ever told me to "get over myself" which I knew I desperately needed to do. I've managed to do that now and don't feel like I need to complain endlessly.
You will get used to your braces and believe me when I say that your pain will start to go away. In no time at all, they will become second nature to you. In the meantime, stay in close contact with us and let us help and support you through it.
Dee

[Gravecat]

All of you who responded and comforted me and made me feel welcome....THANK YOU!!!

I am truly encouraged and touched by your responses. And, I am so glad that I'm not the only "newbie" to braces here.

God bless all of you who responded and opened your hearts for comfort and encouragement.

Good news! The absolutely mind-boggling, excruciating pain that I experienced has greatly subsided. "Dee17", you were right. My "wanting to take off my head and throw it" pain got much better after about 3 weeks. It was so bad, that I was seriously considering taking them off. I'm so glad I didn't! I couldn't imagine feeling the slightest bit better, but now I do.

"Catj1981" and "Klobird" your thoughts about this were much appreciated, too. Love to you both, too!

I told my orthdontist and his team about this website. They had never heard of it! Then, he said "Oh, never believe what other people say on those websites"!

He couldn't be MORE WRONG! I told him how grateful I was to find this forum with other people going through the same #$%@! and pain and how grateful I was for all of the advice and sympathy. Well, I don't care what he says, finding this forum and all of you have been nothing but a blessing for me, so thank you!!

I have my first "tightening" (sorry, I know that is not the proper word but I can't think of it right now) on December 18th. I've heard many stories about people's pain after that - I am not looking forward to that and will probably be logged on back here whining and crying on all your shoulders, so be prepared!

OH! "Catj1981", I wanted to comment on your comment about wax. I, too, used that stuff. I didn't even roll it up, but just shoved it in huge wads on those areas that were just ridiculously painful. They gave me some relief, but I just hated when they would dislodge, especially if I sipped something to dring. It grossed me out.

When I complained to my orthodontist, his assistant who had just gotten braces, said that she didn't like the wax much either. She instead told me she had better luck with the silicone version of it. It comes in the same kind of little plastic container, but it is pure silicone. I just wanted to let you know about that option just in case your orthodontist or orthodontist assistant didn't tell you about that option.

Again, love and thanks to all of you! I'll write and "see you soon"! xoxoxo

[Dee17]

You're very welcome. I. too have found this site unbelievably helpful. Everyone here is so supportive and encouraging. In fact, it was only after being a member of this site for several weeks that I finally worked up the courage to get my braces. I'm glad I did. I haven't had any regrets. Despite getting off to what sounds like a very rocky start, I'm sure you won't have any regrets either. Once you start to see your teeth move, you'll be very glad you went forward with your decision.
My orthodontist had never heard of this website either even though he's been practicing for about 15 years! Imagine! I found it by just doing a simple Google search.
Anyway, I'm glad that we were able to help. Hang in there. I am also going for my first "adjustment" on December 17th, so one day ahead of you. Here's hoping that it will be an easy process for both of us.
Dee

[Tobilei]

Hi Gravecat Glad things are feeling better! I empathize with you completely. My husband is the one who's worked for the last number of years and pushed me to do this (money could have gone towards a new car or something but he felt this was more important) so I feel really bad when I'm stomping around whinging that I've made the worst decision of my life (I don't feel like this constantly, but I've had my moments and have seriously considered going to my ortho and begging him to remove everything!).

I'm on day 10 today and things are easing up the tiniest bit so I'm glad to read that they're going to keep getting better (I was starting to wonder. I've spent loads of time on here whinging and then read so many people's stories who said there's didn't hurt and they adjusted really quickly while I went on and on about ulcers and tooth pain and how big and dry my brackets feel etc etc).

Good luck with your first adjustment! I'll keep my fingers crossed it's pain free for you! (Or at least minimal pain!)

[Dee17]

Hi Tobilei,
If you feel bad about how much whining and fussing and fretting you think you've been doing, you really should have a look at my earlier threads. I spent nearly two months complaining and fussing and fretting about my upcoming bracket day. When it finally arrived, it was so uneventful, I felt SO guilty about all my whining. I thought that everyone on this forum was very gracious for not telling me to just get over myself and allowing me to vent endlessly! So, really don't feel bad about it. I think that everyone adapts and adjusts at different rates. What is painless for one person might be HUGE for another. Sort of like having a baby, I think, huh?

[Tobilei]

Hi Tobilei,
If you feel bad about how much whining and fussing and fretting you think you've been doing, you really should have a look at my earlier threads. I spent nearly two months complaining and fussing and fretting about my upcoming bracket day. When it finally arrived, it was so uneventful, I felt SO guilty about all my whining. I thought that everyone on this forum was very gracious for not telling me to just get over myself and allowing me to vent endlessly! So, really don't feel bad about it. I think that everyone adapts and adjusts at different rates. What is painless for one person might be HUGE for another. Sort of like having a baby, I think, huh?

Hey Dee I've PM'd you about the facebook thing. Couldn't add you for some reason (I don't know if you want to edit your post and delete your details or not). Lol I'll take a peek. Glad I'm not the only one! I worried SOO much beforehand too. I spent so many hours searching these forums for answers! And haha, yes, having a baby....well that was a whole other kind of experience! At leat it felt like there was an end in sight with that one (kind of....my eldest took 3 days to arrive).